Dog-leg gearbox

"Dog leg" redirects here. For other uses, see Dogleg.

A dog leg gearbox is a manual transmission layout with an up-over-up shift between first and second gear. The layout derives its name from a dog's hind leg, with its sharp angles.

Typical 5-speed layout:

Dog leg 5-speed layout:

Automobiles

Dog leg layout gearboxes are desirable on performance automobiles because in road racing more frequent shifting occurs from second to third than from first to second gear.

Performance 'street cars' featuring the dog leg layout include the BMW M535 and (Non-US) M3 E30, BMW 2002 Tii and Turbo, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 and 2.5-16, Ferrari 308 GTB/GTS, Ferrari Testarossa, Porsche 914, early 911, 924 Turbo (all featuring Getrag gearboxes) Porsche 928, Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, Vauxhall Firenza HPF the Lamborghini Miura and the Maserati Biturbo.

Non-performance cars available with the dog leg shift pattern include the Subaru 360, Datsun 160J Hardtop SSS, Datsun 200sx, 1980 Datsun 210 Wagon (built during the 210/310 crossover), Datsun 510, Citroën 2CV, Mercedes 190, Mercedes-Benz 200D and the model year 1976-77 Oldsmobile Cutlass or Pontiac LeMans with the 260 V8.

Trucks

The dog leg gearbox is also typical of 9 and 10 speed heavy truck transmissions. In the case of a 10 speed transmission, the gears are 1-5 in the low range and 6-10 in the high range (the 1 position is not used in the high range of a 9 speed transmission).